I was considering some 30 mm from Loyalhann Dockyard and some threaded shafts that fit. Don tells me the shafts would be 1/8th inch and fit.

I have concerns about the metal in the Merriman kits because I'm a little rough on models. I ordered some SS shafts from Caswell today to get back on track and I can always change out the props and shafts later. But I will go to brass when the cash is there...

Because I didn't have any 1/8 SS on hand Kevin, but I did have plenty of 1/8 brass rod and 5 gallons of electroless tin plating solution handy. Thirty seconds in the tin bath does the trick very nicely. Good Lord, man! You didn't think I tinned those shafts with a soldering iron, did you?

BTW Charlie, I don't know about right now with the falling $ and all, but a couple years back I believe I paid just over $25 for the pair of props, including shipping over the Pond.

George "Crazy Ivan" Protchenko

“There are the assassins, the dealers in death; I am the Avenger!”-Nemo"I'm disinclined to acquiesce to your request; means No!"-Capt.Barbossa

I ordered some ss 1/8 shaft from Caswell Monday. I'll make my own for now and use the Merriman props. BTW I am in contact with Rick Nelson and he has said he would do what he can to help me with my Ct conversion.

Crazy Ivan wrote:Because I didn't have any 1/8 SS on hand Kevin, but I did have plenty of 1/8 brass rod and 5 gallons of electroless tin plating solution handy. Thirty seconds in the tin bath does the trick very nicely. Good Lord, man! You didn't think I tinned those shafts with a soldering iron, did you?

BTW Charlie, I don't know about right now with the falling $ and all, but a couple years back I believe I paid just over $25 for the pair of props, including shipping over the Pond.

More tower work to report. It isn't perfect but I think it will pass. I had to re-do some things based upon my emails with Rick Nelson and the USS Cod museum book that I purchased. I had to fabricate the braces for the radar mast and also rebuild some items. I built and installed some pieces to make the tower support legs look like steel beams and I also did the same around the scope braces.

Spent Saturday at the lake with Warren Wilson, Stuart T and Jack running the boats. Well they ran their boats and I ran my mouth

So I spent Sunday working on the 1/72nd scale model of the USS Cod. I did get the hull together. This required getting the aft prop struts aligned and once done I glued the bow and stern on. Then I glued on the deck pieces. I also worked on the tower. I ground off the molded in ammo cans and made new ones then attached the new units to match the photos in the USS Cod museum book. I also added the extra wide decking around the aft 40 and filled in the square door edges so they could be made round again. And I added the TBT and compass.

The first photos is is my attempt to use evercoat to fill the gap. the stuff did not stick to the hull and peeled off like a rubber gasket. i could not get the evercoat to harden even with CA applied to suite me. I ended up using baking soda and Ca to fill the gap.

The next photos are of my initial placement of the tabs prior to gluing to the hulls. The next is a mast comparison followed by a fair water comparison. the last shots are of the filler putty prior to sanding.

Seams like it's taking FOREVER! I have just about everything lined up but need to put it all together. Servos and Radio may be a problem as well as connectors for the control of the planes and rudder etc. I don't really know what voltage the Merriman/Caswell WTC requires. I think 7VDC will work.

I still need a few deck pieces such as a 5inch deck gun, a second 40mm, and I was hoping to switch to brass props from Loyalhanna dockyard.

I am saving up some cash for a second Gato to use the tower on the Marlin as well.